Nakhimovsky, the founder and longtime director of Colgate’s Linguistics Program, passed away on June 27, 2024, in New York City.
Author: Nancy Ries
To Russian Professor, with Love April 3, 1933–Nov. 24, 2020 When his Colgate colleagues and former students ponder Professor Richard Sylvester’s many talents, they are unlikely to think of his genius for prosody. But for Dick, who taught Russian at Colgate from 1978–95, the study of poetic meter and rhyme — and of the subtler tonalities and textures in poetry, whether written, spoken, or sung — was an engrossing passion. From boyhood, Dick collected records of classical and popular music, and he cherished the well-phrased and delicately delivered song. Beginning with Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra, his appreciation grew to…